Conventional electronic modules for high-speed telecommunication and networking applications are typically housed in a cabinet that is specifically designed to house such electronic modules. Typically, a vertically oriented rack is positioned within the cabinet, and the electronic modules are fastened to the rack. The electronic modules are stacked one on top of the other in a vertically stacked configuration.
Telecommunication signals must be routed to and from the plurality of electronic modules within the cabinet. This is typically accomplished by providing a communications panel mounted to the rack within the cabinet. The communications panel is typically mounted adjacent the backside of the cabinet to allow a technician to access the panel. One side (i.e. the front side) of the communications panel typically includes 176 standard RJ48 connectors. In particular, the RJ48 connectors are mounted to the communications panel so that the connectors face outward toward the backside of the cabinet. The technician may then access the backside of the cabinet and rout up to 176 input cables to the connectors on the communications panel. The 176 input cables are typically routed into the cabinet from the top or bottom of the cabinet.
Output cables are typically positioned on the other side of the communications panel, and one end of each of the output cables is typically hardwire to the RJ48 connectors mounted to the panel. The other end of each of the output cables typically includes a RJ48 connector that is configured to mate with any one of the socket connectors mounted within the electronic modules.
There are several disadvantages with these conventional communications panels. First, the size of conventional communications panels is large due to the large number of RJ48 connectors (typically 176 RJ connectors) that are required to provide telecommunications signals to the plurality of electronic modules within the cabinet. These cabinets typically have strict dimensional requirements, and the large size of conventional communications panels greatly reduces the amount space in the cabinet that could otherwise be used for other various electronic functions. Moreover, routing 176 individual cables into the cabinet also requires a large amount of physical space, and may block the required airflow through the cabinet, which may result in the overheating of the various electronic modules within the cabinet.
In addition, a technician must rout and connect 176 input cables to the 176 connectors on the communications panel. The large number of connections increases the installation time, and also increases the chance that the input cables will not be routed properly. Finally, the large number of input cables and connectors on the communications panel greatly increases the time required to debug the system in the event there is a failure in one or more of the connections.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an interface panel for providing telecommunication signals to a plurality of electronic modules housed within an electronics cabinet that overcomes the disadvantages described above.